Dear Mr. Matherne:The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its June 17, 2011 meeting, considered your request for an advisory opinion as to whether you may provide compensated graphic design services to the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department while you serve as the Public Information Officer for the Lafourche Parish Government. You stated that you would like to provide graphic design services to Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department, which is a nonprofit agency that generates its own funding through an annual fair. You stated that the Fire District 8-C is a parish board/district whose members are appointed by the Lafourche Parish Council. The Fire District 8-C is allotted money generated by parish taxes/millages. You stated that some of this funding is distributed to the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department.

The Board concluded, and instructed me to inform you, that the Code of Governmental Ethics would not prohibit you from providing compensated graphic design services to the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department while you serve as the Public Information Officer for the Lafourche Parish Government. Section 1111C(1)(a) of the Code prohibits a public servant from receiving any thing of economic value for any service, the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the agency of the public servant and in which the public servant has participated. It appears that the services you will be providing to the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department are not devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the Public Information Office of the Lafourche Parish Government and in which you have participated. This advisory opinion is based solely on the facts as set forth herein. Changes to the facts as presented may result in a different application of the provisions of the Code of Ethics. The Board issues no opinion as to past conduct or as to laws other than the Code of Governmental Ethics. If you have any questions, please contact me at (800) 842-6630 or (225) 219-5600.